WeRide Storms Slovakia With Nation's First Autonomous Driving Rollout

WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) announced Thursday it has entered Slovakia through a partnership with ELEVATE Slovakia, launching the country’s first autonomous vehicle (AV) program, according to Globe Newswire. The move marks its fourth European market after France, Belgium, and Switzerland, expanding its footprint to more than 40 cities across 12 countries. The initiative brings together government agencies, the City of Bratislava, Slovak Post, and private partners to build a regulatory-ready framework for autonomous mobility. Testing is set to begin in Bratislava in the first half of 2026, before expanding to Košice and the High Tatras. Deployments will include Robotaxi, Robobus, Robovan, and Robosweeper solutions. “I view the signing of this agreement as the beginning of a process…” said Transport Minister Jozef Ráž. CEO Tony Han said WeRide aims to scale globally, targeting over 2,600 Robotaxis by 2026. Technical Analysis The stock trades 8.8% below its 20-day simple moving average. It is also 25.5% below its 100-day moving average, indicating a bearish trend. Shares have dropped 62.74% over 12 months and remain near 52-week lows. The RSI stands at 33.30, indicating neutral territory. The MACD is at -0.3511, above the signal line at -0.3737. This suggests bullish momentum. Earnings & Analyst Outlook The countdown is on: WeRide is set to report earnings on March 23, 2026 (confirmed). EPS Estimate: 33 cents Revenue Estimate: $19.29 Million Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $22.16. Recent analyst moves include: B of A Securities: Initiated with Buy (Target $12.00) (Dec. 1, 2025) Citigroup: Initiated with Buy (Target $15.50) (Sep. 29, 2025) Benzinga Edge Rankings Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for WeRide, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market: Momentum: Weak (Score: 2.69) — Stock is underperforming the broader market. The Verdict: WeRide Benzinga Edge signal shows a weak profile, suggesting challenges in maintaining momentum in the current market environment. WRD Price Action: WeRide shares were down 2.00% at $6.13 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading near its 52-week low of $6.03, according to Benzinga Pro data. Photo by Tada Images via Shutterstock